Truck Mix Disc: Juan Dela Cruz Band

A couple months ago I mentioned that I was planning to buy some CDs and DVDs in the Philippines. I found most of what I was looking for. Six movies and five albums for cheap. I put together this mix disc of my favorite songs from the bunch.

I don't understand the lyrics, of course, but it's good rak en rol. I usually just ask my wife what the titles mean, but I see that Google Translate can now partially translate Tagalog to English (it didn't do any a month or so ago).

1. Himig Natin
"Our Music". During our last night at the beach resort in Bohol, a pair of guitarists played a nice acoustic set in the restaurant area. I was about to request this song when they started playing it anyways.

2. Panahon
"Time". In Camiguin we were waiting on the beach for a boat to take us to Mantigue island. There was a videoke bar there and I was building up the courage to sing this song for the locals when the boat arrived and we left.

3. Inday
This is a girl's nickname. If I understand correctly, it is also can be used as a generic, and maybe slightly derogatory, way to address a girl. Kinda like "Missy", or something like that.

4. Balong Malalim
Sometimes when my wife feels the baby inside her moving around, she'll sing the first line of this song: Gusto n'yang mag swimming! Which means something like "She wants to go swimming!"

5. No Touch
The hook in this song goes: Sige na! Sige na! It means something like "Ok! let's go!" I had a t-shirt custom made with that lyric there in the Philippines, along with about a dozen other t-shirts.

6. Beep Beep
Whereas in some places of the world beeping your car horn generally means "Watch out, asshole!", in the Philippines it generally means "Hello. Sorry about my haste. Please excuse me. Thank you!" So that cacophony of car horns, bike horns, truck horns, and jeepney horns at every intersection there is kinda like a big friendly get together.

7. Kahit Anong Mangyari
"No matter what happens"

8. Todo Mo Na
This song is just a groovin' jam and every once in awhile they sing out: Todo Mo Na! which kinda means "Don't stop!". So then they keep on jammin'.

9. Rock & Roll Sa Mundo
In Tagalag, like in Spanish, "mundo" means "world".

10. Nakatagong Mata
"Hidden Eyes"

11. Pagod Sa Pahinga
"Tired of Resting" I might be one of the few people ever to realize that this gentle instrumental is exactly the same song as John Hartford's "Presbyterian Guitar".

12. Palengke
"Market"

13. Naglalakbay
"Passing Through"

14. Laki Sa Layaw
"Grew up Pampered" This song popularized the word "jeproks", which nobody seems to know the precise meaning of.

15. Mr. Kenkoy
Hoy hoy hoy. "Mr. Funnyman"

16. Kayabangan
"Arrogance"

17. Tulungan Natin
"Let's Help"

18. Langit
"Heaven"

19. Legs
A member of Juan Dela Cruz later formed Hagabis, a disco band with a sound similar to...The Village People. This funky song largely consists of the band yelling "Legs! Legs! Legs!" followed by various phrases that mean something like "They are blinding me." and "They are melting me." Fun singalong.